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Transition Training ("Fast-Track")

Introduction

Students with prior extensive Air Traffic Control (ATC) experience and who has an ATC rating as

  1. Real-life Air Traffic Control Officer (ATCO), or
  2. International Virtual Aviation Organisation (IVAO) network controller
may apply for Transition Training at VATSIM Scandinavia.

Please, note that Transition Training at VATSIM Scandinavia is called Fast-Track in VATSIM and VATEUD documentation. However, Fast-Track is missleading, since it gives the impression of skipping the training queue, which is generally not the case.

Definition Transition Training means that the training will be individually adapted, performed at an accelerated pace, and the student does not need to perform a formal Controller Practical Test (CPT).


The VATSIM Scandinavia Transition Training procedures are based on the VATEUD ATD Fast Track procedures.

Requirements

In order to be accepted for Transition Training the candidate must fulfil at least of the of the following requirements:

Background Current rating Transition to VATSIM rating
Real-life ATCO ADV, ADI S2
APP, APS, ACP, ACS S3
IVAO controller APC S2
ACC S3

Real-life ATCO
A real-life ATCO that for example hold an ADV or ADI rating is eligible for Transition Training up to S2 rating in VATSIM. Please, note that the real-life ATCO's rating must be valid, or have been valid not more than 3 years ago.

IVAO controller
Transition Training from an IVAO rating is allowed to the corresponding VATSIM rating one step below. That is, if the IVAO controller has an APC (controlled Approach positions on IVAO) Transition Training to VATSIM rating S2 (controlling Tower positions on VATSIM) is possible. The IVAO controller must have provided ATC online within the last 3 years at least 5 hours.

Training Request

A candidate who fulfil the requirements and would like to request Transition Training should contact VATSIM Scandinavia Training Director by email (training-director.vatsim-scandinavia.org).

Real-life ATCO
The ATCO should include a high resolution copy of the real-life ATC license and certificates.

IVAO controller
The IVAO controller should include a screenshot clearly showing:

  • Name
  • Rank
  • Controller hours
  • Date of last controlling session

The candidates should select one (1) of the countries Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, or Iceland where they would like to train.

Transition Training Procedure

Since the knowledge, skills and background of students accepted into the Transition Training program may vary widely, there is no fixed training procedure of the one-size-fits-all type. Instead, the Training Lead and the Training Director create an individual Transition Training plan based on the students background. The individual Transition Training plan should generally be based on one of the following templates.

Direct Transition Training

Direct Transition Training is applicable if the real-life ATCO has a rating and endorsement for a particular unit and would like to provide ATC on VATSIM only at the corresponding position(s) up to S3 level, possibly including Tier 1 endorsements.

If for example an ATCO has real-life license to provide ATC at GG APP and TWR and would like to control Göteborg Approach and Landvetter Tower on VATSIM, the following Direct Transition Training plan would be used as basis for the individual Transition Training plan. It is not mandatory, but highly encouraged to start practical training with Direct Transition Training students with higher priority, since they would be able to provide valuable information with respect to real-life local operational procedures at positions we simulate at VATSIM Scandinavia.

VATEUD Core Test Fast-Track Theory Exam

When the student's application for Transition Training has been verified and accepted by the VATSIM Scandinavia Training Director and VATEUD Training Department, the student is given access to VATEUD Core Test Fast-Track theory exam.

Practical Training

The Training Lead request rating upgrade when the student has passed the VATEUD Core Test Exam. When a mentor is available, the mentor provide 1 to 2 practical training sessions at the specific position(s) focussing on VATSIM software, environment and community.

Obviously, the student is expected to perform exceptionally well with respect to controlling skills and applying local operating procedures considering the professional background and training.

Training Completion

Once the student has become familiar with the VATSIM environment and after completing the final session, the student may staff the specific position(s) on VATSIM.

Conditional Transition Training

Conditional Transition Training is applicable for real-life ATCO who hold an ATC license at a different unit from the position(s) they would like to control at VATSIM Scandinavia, and for controllers with IVAO rating APC or higher.

Please, note that local operating procedures, such as phraseology, controlling software, and environment at VATSIM Scandinavia might be much more different from the real-life procedures in other countries and regions than you might expect.

Thus, a stepwise training approach should be applied. If the student does not perform at the expected level at any step of the Conditional Transition Training, the Training Lead and the Training Director may jointly decide to abort the Conditional Transition Training and transfer the student to the standard training queue and program.

Self-Study

When the student's application for Transition Training has been verified and accepted by the Training Director and VATEUD Training Department, the student is given access to pre-training material. The student is expected to prepare and commit to self-studies.

Simulator Training

Once a mentor is available 1 to 2 Sweatbox sessions are performed. The student is expected to:
  • have exceptionally good theoretical background knowledge
  • have acquired knowledge of local operating procedures and understanding of basic functionality of VATSIM controller software from self-studies
  • quickly understand, implement, and remember feedback from the mentor

S1 Rating

The Training Lead assigns the VATEUD S1 Core test to the student and requests S1 rating upgrade once the student has passed the test.

Tower Online Training

The student has 1 to 2 sessions online a tower position together with the mentor. The student is expected to correctly apply local operating procedures, standard phraseology, and quickly adapt to the VATSIM enviroment. If the mentor is in doubt regarding the student's progress and performance, the mentor should immediately discuss next steps with the Training Lead.

S2 Rating

If the student follows the Conditional Transition Training up to S2 level, the student is assigned the VATEUD Core Fast Track theory exam (S2 level) and is upgraded to S2 once passed the theory test. Thereafter, the training is completed.

Consolidation

If the student follow Conditional Transition Training up to S3 level, the student is assigned the VATEUD S2 Core test. Once the test is passed, the student is upgraded to S2. The Training Lead may require the student to control on their own at a tower position for up to 50 hours during a 3-month period before the training continueus.

Practical Approach Control Training

The student has 1 to 2 practical sessions together with the mentor. The session(s) could be performed in Sweatbox and/or online at the mentor's discretion. The student is expected to have extraordinary good vectoring skills and be able to correctly apply local operating procedures. If the mentor is in doubt regarding the student's progress and performance, the mentor should discuss next steps with the Training Lead.

S3 Rating

If the mentor and the Training Lead find that the student's performance is satisfactory, the student is assigned the VATEUD Core Fast-Track theory exam (S3 level). Once the test is passed, the student is upgraded to S3. Thereafter, the training is completed.

Rules for Transition Training

  1. Training Queue
    Transition Training requests are placed in the normal training queue with the same priority as regular home VATSIM Scandinavia students. Real-life ATCO with ATC license at a unit in the same country where they would like to provide ATC on VATSIM may be prioritized after approval by the Training Director.

  2. Underperformance
    The student will be removed from the Transition Training program if any of the following conditions occur:
    • Theory
      Severe and significant theoretical knowledge gaps are identified.
    • Skills
      ATC skills fall far below expectations for the student's stated background.
    • Progress
      Progress fails to meet the expectations while following accelerated training pace.

    That is, the Training Director may at any point remove the student from the Transition Training program, if the student does not perform at the expected level and place the student in the standard training queue and programs.

Remarks

The Transition Traing program is exclusively aimed at students that already have professional or extensive ATC experience. Thus, the following is outside the scope of Transition Training:

  1. Additional Training Sessions
    If the student needs more than 2 training sessions during initial Sweatbox training, S2, or S3 training, the student should be transferred to a corresponding standard traning program.

  2. Controller Practical Test (CPT) or Validation Sessons
    If the mentor and the Training Lead would like to have a second opinion a second mentor should be invited as observer during one of the training sessions to provide a broader perspective of the student's performance.

  3. Tier 1 and Tier 2 Endorsement Training
    Tier 1 and Tier 2 Endorsement training should be conducted within the standard training programs, except if the real-life ATCO has professional license to control the corresponding position.

  4. Area Control Surveillance (C1 rating)
    Area Control on VATSIM is during normal conditions usually very different from real-life in some aspects:
    • Complexity
      Area Control positions on VATSIM are procedurally highly complex, since top-down coverage for approach and tower positions below might be included.
    • Coverage
      VATSIM area control position may bandbox a large number of real-life sectors.
    • Traffic Flow
      Traffic flows might unexpectedly increase to very high levels, since Traffic Flow Management might be limitied at times.

    Thus, C1 training should be performed within the standard training programs.

  5. Real-life pilots
    The Transition Training program is aimed at students with extensive previous ATC experience, thus pilots with for example PPL, ATPL, or MPL are not eligible.

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